Rotatable condiment holder

Abstract

A condiment holder for supporting a condiment container, said condiment holder including a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. An aperture is defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body. The aperture extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the body. The peripheral wall includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections and each set of opposed wall sections is configured to engage one of a plurality of differently shaped condiment containers. The peripheral wall includes at least three sets of opposed wall sections and the body is thereby able to selectively engage at least three differently shaped condiment containers. A clip extends outwardly from the body and is utilized to engage a fin of a vehicle air vent to secure the condiment holder thereto.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A condiment holder comprising:
 a body having a top surface and a bottom surface; 
 an aperture defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body, said aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces and adapted to receive one of a plurality of differently-configured condiment containers therein; and 
 a clip extending outwardly from the body; wherein said body and clip are selectively rotatable relative to one another; and wherein said clip is adapted to engage at least one fin of a vehicle air vent; 
 wherein the interior peripheral wall includes: 
 a first side and an opposed second side that are substantially identical to one another and arranged as mirror images of one another; 
 a third side and an opposed fourth side extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the third side is dissimilar to the fourth side; and 
 the apertures is a common aperture bounded and defined by the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side of the interior peripheral wall, and said common aperture is adapted to individually receive any of three or more differently configured condiment containers therein; 
 wherein each of the first side and the second side of the interior peripheral wall comprises:
 a first wall section, a second wall section, and another first wall section; wherein the first wall section and the another first wall section are identical to one another and are arranged as mirror images of one another, and the second wall section is interposed between the first wall section and the another first wall section; 
 
 wherein a third wall section extends between each first wall section and a respective one of the third side and the fourth side; and 
 wherein a further third wall section extends between each of the another first wall section and the other respective one of the third side and the fourth side. 
 
     
     
       2. The condiment holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is selectively rotatable relative to the clip about an axis, wherein the axis is oriented at right angles relative to an outer peripheral wall of the body. 
     
     
       3. The condiment holder according to  claim 2 , wherein the body is selectively rotatable in one of a first direction and a second direction about the axis, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
       4. The condiment holder according to  claim 2 , further comprising a neck extending outwardly from an outer peripheral wall of the body, wherein the clip is operatively engaged with the neck. 
     
     
       5. The condiment holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the clip; and wherein the body is adapted to be selectively engaged with the at least one fin of the vehicle air vent in either of the first position or the second position. 
     
     
       6. The condiment holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is indexable with respect to the clip in that the body is selectively fixable in any one of a plurality of different orientations relative to the clip. 
     
     
       7. The condiment holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising a ball-and-socket joint interposed between the body and the clip. 
     
     
       8. A condiment holder comprising:
 a body having a top surface and a bottom surface; 
 an aperture defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body, said aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces and adapted to receive one of a plurality of differently-configured condiment containers therein; and 
 a clip extending outwardly from the body; wherein said body and clip are selectively rotatable relative to one another; and wherein said clip is adapted to engage at least one fin of a vehicle air vent; 
 a neck extending outwardly from an outer peripheral wall of the body, wherein the clip is operatively engaged with the neck; 
 wherein the body is selectively rotatable relative to the clip about an axis, wherein the axis is oriented at right angles relative to an outer peripheral wall of the body; and 
 wherein the neck includes an annular ring of undulating waves; wherein the annular ring circumscribes the axis, and wherein the clip is selectively operable with the annular ring. 
 
     
     
       9. The condiment holder according to  claim 8 , wherein the body is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the clip; and wherein the body is adapted to be selectively engaged with the at least one fin of the vehicle air vent in either of the first position or the second position. 
     
     
       10. The condiment holder according to  claim 8 , wherein the body is indexable with respect to the clip in that the body is selectively fixable in any one of a plurality of different orientations relative to the clip. 
     
     
       11. The condiment holder according to  claim 8 , wherein the undulating waves extend radially outwardly from the axis. 
     
     
       12. The condiment holder according to  claim 8 , wherein the clip includes a base plate having protruded regions that selectively engage the undulating waves of the annular ring. 
     
     
       13. The condiment holder according to  claim 12 , wherein the clip further comprises a plurality of tines that extend outwardly from base plate in a direction moving away from the neck; and wherein the plurality of tines is adapted to be engaged with the at least one fin of the vehicle air vent. 
     
     
       14. The condiment holder according to  claim 8 , further comprising a ball-and-socket joint interposed between the body and the clip. 
     
     
       15. The condiment holder according to  claim 14 , further comprising a neck extending outwardly from an outer peripheral wall of the body, wherein a socket of the ball-and-socket joint is defined in a rear surface of the neck, and wherein a ball of the ball-and-socket joint is provided on a forward end of the clip, and wherein the ball is received in the socket. 
     
     
       16. The condiment holder according to  claim 15 , wherein the ball is rotatable within the socket in various different directions and, consequently, the body is rotatable relative to the clip in various different directions. 
     
     
       17. The condiment holder according to  claim 16 , wherein the body is rotatable between a first position relative to the clip and a second position relative to the clip, and wherein the body is selectively fixed in each of the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       18. The condiment holder according to  claim 15 , wherein the ball is coated with a friction-increasing material which increases a grip between the ball and the socket. 
     
     
       19. The condiment holder according to  claim 15 , wherein the ball is interference fitted within the socket. 
     
     
       20. The condiment holder according to  claim 19 , wherein the ball resists any tendency of the body to drop downwardly relative to the clip. 
     
     
       21. The condiment holder according to  claim 15 , wherein engagement of the ball in the socket enables selective vertical rotation of the body relative to the clip and further enables selective lateral rotation of the body relative to the clip. 
     
     
       22. The condiment holder according to  claim 15 , wherein the ball-and-socket joint engages any style of vent fin regardless of whether the vent fin is horizontally oriented, vertically oriented, or is oriented at an angle, and the ball-and-socket joint holds the body and thereby any condiment container retained therein in a horizontal position suitable for dipping.